Cost of Living Comparison Between Galway and Kildare Cost of Living Comparison Between Galway and Kildare

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,435 in Galway versus $2,662 in Kildare.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,835 in Galway versus $4,159 in Kildare.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,236 in Galway versus $5,656 in Kildare.

Living in Galway is roughly 29% more expensive than in Kildare, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Galway 150% above, Kildare 94% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.56 €20.33

$21.26 €18.35

10.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$115 €99.4

$65.4 €56.4

76.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$17.60 €15.19

$10.86 €9.37

62.06%

Cappuccino

$4.96 €4.28

$4.44 €3.83

11.71%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 €2.73

$2.30 €1.98

37.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 €2.06

$1.92 €1.66

23.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.01 €6.91

$7.59 €6.55

5.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.02 €6.06

$5.64 €4.87

24.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 €1.48

White Bread (500g)

$2.48 €2.14

$1.91 €1.65

29.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.29 €1.97

$1.90 €1.64

20.53%

Eggs

$4.57 €3.94

$4.05 €3.49

12.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.22 €14.86

$14.56 €12.56

18.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.39 €9.83

$13.33 €11.50

-14.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.11 €12.17

$12.13 €10.47

16.32%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 €2.63

$2.90 €2.50

4.83%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 €1.95

$2.64 €2.28

-14.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.22 €2.78

$3.39 €2.92

-5.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.21 €3.63

$4.43 €3.83

-4.97%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 €1.83

$1.83 €1.58

15.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 €1.37

$1.73 €1.49

-8.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 €1.14

$1.31 €1.13

0.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 €1.71

$1.18 €1.02

67.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$21.17 €18.27

$20.60 €17.77

2.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.33 €12.37

$12.73 €10.98

12.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.24 €3.66

$2.90 €2.50

46.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.54 €3.91

$2.75 €2.38

65.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.16 €1.87

$1.95 €1.68

10.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.8 €55.9

$227 €196

-71.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.44 €4.70

$4.75 €4.10

14.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 €1.33

$1.55 €1.34

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$58.1 €50.2

$26.63 €22.98

118.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.17 €1.87

$2.06 €1.78

5.34%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$41.2K €35.6K

$40.8K €35.2K

0.94%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$38.2K €32.9K

$39.3K €33.9K

-2.91%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$248 €214

$161 €139

53.91%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$23.68 €20.43

$22.99 €19.83

3.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.0 €44.90

$57.7 €49.77

-9.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.70 €39.43

$49.19 €42.45

-7.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.88 €19.74

$24.01 €20.72

-4.71%

Cinema Ticket

$17.39 €15.01

$13.98 €12.06

24.39%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,053 €909

$1,120 €967

-5.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,215 €4,500

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$106 €91.3

$97.9 €84.4

8.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 €43.87

$45.07 €38.89

12.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 €97.9

$108 €93.5

4.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €103

$127 €109

-5.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,363 €2,039

$1,454 €1,255

62.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,033 €1,755

$1,276 €1,101

59.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,803 €3,282

$3,087 €2,664

23.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,839 €2,450

$2,625 €2,265

8.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,218 €5,366

$3,601 €3,108

72.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,804 €4,145

$2,772 €2,392

73.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,955 €2,550

$3,060 €2,641

-3.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.68

4.14

-11.11%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Galway: September 1, 2026

Last update for Kildare: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,363 in Galway and $1,454 in Kildare. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kildare pays 4% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $115 in Galway vs $65.0 in Kildare for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $381 vs $347 per month, with Kildare cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Galway vs Kildare: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kildare is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 29% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 4% lower in Kildare. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,363 in Galway versus $1,454 in Kildare. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Galway. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Kildare – a meal for two runs $65.0 versus $115 in Galway. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Kildare is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Kildare is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Galway, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Galway and Kildare are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Kildare gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Galway. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.